The WebCache extension allows access to external links via a web archive. The extension integrates with several popular web archives as well as supporting a local spider to cache pages on your web server.

The extension can place an icon for a link after the link to send the user to the cached version of the page. Alternatively, the extension can be configured to eliminate the original URL link and always send users to the specified cache. This setting is on a per wiki basis and can not be changed based on page status.

The extension offers administrators the option to cache locally on their wiki server external content. This local cache option could present security issues and administrators should weigh carefully whether they trust their authors and linked content sufficiently to save it locally on their server. There are a number of security related settings to control this risk. This was initially designed for kiosk like functionality where a mobile server may only intermittently have Internet access and still want to have all links functional when not connected. Cached files are not parsed when served, only transferred by the web server. The DOM is parsed by the wiki's PHP engine, but scripts should not be executed. Only http or https URLs are cached (mailto and FTP specifically are unsupported).

This option should be used at a minimum to test. First option is to postpend an icon with a link to the cache. Set $WebCacheEnableRewrite to true. Second option is to overwrite any links and force them to go to the cache, leaving no link to the original file. Set $WebCacheForceRewrite to true. This also disables the icon as it is not needed.

In addition to LocalSettings.php settings, there is also an update Special Page that can start an update on the cache (necessary for the included local cache option). Only users with 'manage_WebCache' right can access this page. Give a person or group this right.

Depending on the sitewide configuration, all users will see the results of configuration settings for cache on the pages that they view. There is currently no option about who can see links to cached pages.

All rights are related to who can manage the cache. The default installation allows no one to update the cache. LocalSettings.php should allow some group to administer. This example shows how to allow the sysop group the ability to use the administrative page.